Crispy seitan cutlet with pizza sauce sandwich, from New World Bistro, Thursday, April 24, 2013, in Colonie, N.Y. All of its ingredients are completely vegan friendly. Its composed of one six ounce piece of satien topped with simple tomato sauce and a vegan mozzarella product called daiya. (Will waldron/Times Union) less

Crispy seitan cutlet with pizza sauce sandwich, from New World Bistro, Thursday, April 24, 2013, in Colonie, N.Y. All of its ingredients are completely vegan friendly. Its composed of one six ounce piece of ... more

Photo: Will Waldron

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Vegan calzone from Little Anthony's, Thursday, April 24, 2013, in Colonie, N.Y. The calzone is stuffed with daiya, the vegan friendly "cheese," and vegan meatballs enclosed in its vegan crust. (Will waldron/Times Union) less

Vegan calzone from Little Anthony's, Thursday, April 24, 2013, in Colonie, N.Y. The calzone is stuffed with daiya, the vegan friendly "cheese," and vegan meatballs enclosed in its vegan crust. (Will ... more

Veganism may be a foreign term for those of us used to indulging in meaty entrees and dairy and egg products. Take away those two categories in the food pyramid and what's left is fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which form the basis of the vegan diet.

People who choose to live a vegan lifestyle are very conscious of what they put into their bodies. Ever hear "you are what you eat"? For vegans, there is a lot of truth to that.

Recently, there has been an uptick in the number of people calling themselves vegans. According to a Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) in 2012, the number of vegans 18 and older in the U.S. could be as high as 6.9 million. In a 2000 Zogby poll commissioned by the VRG, only 0.9% of the adult population considered themselves vegan.

Contrary to stereotypes, vegans don't just eat nuts, berries and grass wheat. They want meals that are delicious and filling; however, they want to make a socially responsible decision and say no to mass-produced meats and dairy ingredients. A lot of restaurants and grocery stores provide a variety of choices for vegans. However, some of these foods can be expensive and hard to find outside the grocery store.

Vegans believe their diet is more environmentally friendly (because it uses less energy to produce a vegan or vegetarian meal than to produce a steak), more ethical and healthier.

black beans: (1/2 cup is around 100 calories and has about 1 gram of fat)

fresh vegetables: such as onions, tomatoes and lettuce (50 to 60 calories)

guacamole: (150 calories and has 13 grams of fat, but 6 grams of dietary fiber) salsa: (20 calories and 0 grams of fat)

We searched out a few vegan offerings in the Capital Region that are good for you and won't break your budget.

New World Bistro, 300 Delaware Ave., Albany

New World Bistro's new spring 2013 vegan menu boasts innovative and fresh dishes that exclude all meat, fish, milk, butter, cheese and eggs, ranging from an appetizer of kale chips for $5 to an entree of quinoa-stuffed cabbage rolls for $21. However, if you aren't looking to spend too much money, but still want a satisfying meal, executive chef, Ric Orlando, created a vegan sandwich for $12. The crispy seitan cutlet with pizza sauce sandwich is a play on a traditional chicken parm hero. All of its ingredients, right down to the bun, are completely vegan-friendly. Including the "cheese," which can be added for $1 extra.

This Italian restaurant and pizza joint has been around for four generations, but started serving vegan-friendly pizza, calzones and subs in 2002.

The reason for such a change has to do with Patrick Battuello, owner of Little Anthony's and an active vegan. Typically, Italian cuisine is made up of various meats and heavy cheeses. Battuello missed these flavors while working at the pizzeria, but wanted to continue living a healthy and environmentally cautious lifestyle. That's when he decided to incorporate vegan-friendly Italian food on his menu. Everything from the pizza crust to the cheese on top can be made as a vegan option. They even make vegan meatballs and chicken, to put on a pizza or inside a calzone or hero or mixed in with pasta.

A giant calzone priced at $7.50 before tax, is stuffed with a vegan-friendly cheese substitute that melts and tastes similar to mozzarella. Also, it contains Little Anthony's vegan meatballs and chicken and is enclosed in a vegan crust.

A classic burrito usually contains a meat of some type, either beef, chicken or pork and other ingredients like cheese, sour cream, salsa, rice and of course, beans. Lucky for vegans, Bomber's offers a couple of different options for those unwilling to give up their love for Mexican food. For the price of $7.55 with tax, someone avoiding meat and dairy products can get the Vegetarian Burrito, sans the sour cream and cheese.

Although they do not offer a cheese substitute of any kind, Bomber's Lark Street restaurant's kitchen manager, Bryan Parks, said that almost everything on their menu can be altered to be vegan-friendly. Simply ask to leave out the cheese and add either their vegan-friendly chili or soy "chicken" nuggets, which pairs great with their barbecue sauce.

This natural food store and cafe opened 25 years ago as an all vegetarian- and vegan-friendly salon.

"95 percent of what we do is vegan," said Richard Frank, who opened the store back in 1988.

Frank's cafe is attached to his health food store and serves hot and cold vegan/vegetarian dishes, buffet style. The menu rotates, but he makes sure there is a balanced selection of food.

Regularly, his customers can find a protein, either a selection of beans or seitan, hot or cold vegetables, hummus, baba ghanoush (an eggplant mash) and a tofu-tomato salad.

Diners fill their plates and pay $7.99 per pound.

Frank said among the hottest selling items are his chocolate chip or oatmeal-raisin cookies. Since he opened his place, these vegan delights composed of organic ingredients such as maple syrup, whole wheat flour, homemade chocolate chips (vegan friendly), coconut oil and vanilla, have been in high demand.

Some vegans find it difficult to give up those sweets they loved growing up as a child, such as homemade brownies, cakes, cookies and breads. Tierra Coffee Roasters provides a variety of options for vegans looking for treats without breaking their vegan commandments. This coffee, breakfast and lunch spot, sells a killer cinnamon roll (so the baristas say) complete with icing for $3.50. The ingredients consist of flour, confectioner's sugar, sugar, cane sugar, vegan margarine, cinnamon, yeast, salt and vanilla extract. The roll is as good and fresh as your mother's (or Pillsbury's) because it is made every day on Tierra's organic farm, located in Valatie, and delivered directly to the cafe on Madison Avenue.

If you are on a tight budget, but looking for a savory dish to start off with, try the hummus and veggie wrap for $5.50. Normally, this seems pricey for a wrap that only contains, well, hummus and veggies, but it also comes complete with a side salad and homemade vegan dressing.

Al-Baraki Lebanese and Mediterranean Cuisine, 133 Remsen St., Cohoes

Traditionally, a lot of Mediterranean dishes are distinctively vegan. Like hummus, which is chickpeas blended with tahini and spices, or falafel, which is deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas and fava beans. Al-Baraki serves both, among other vegan dishes. Their most popular and fairly inexpensive dish is called moujadara, meaning literally "the poor man's meal," made with lentils, rice and onion oil (the remains of the vegetable oil that was used to fry onions). The dinner portion costs $15, but the lunch size only costs $7.50. With a hearty serving of lentils and rice, it is sure to keep you full as well.

Although there are plenty of meat-heavy dishes on Al-Baraki's menu, Maya Chadraoui, owner of the Lebanese restaurant, said that she separated the vegetarian-friendly dishes on the menu from the others, so they are easy to find.

Her favorite is the moussaka, priced at $14, it includes stewed eggplant, cooked with homemade tomato sauce and is served over rice a with a garden salad.

Lil Buddha Tea Company & Vegan Cafe, 274 Lark St., Albany

This tiny cafe hidden on Lark Street is the first and only all-vegan cafe in the Capital District, said co-owner Shannon Feeny. He and Victoria Lucian opened the spot three years ago and although they provide a broad selection of vegan meals, a lot of their customers don't follow that lifestyle.

The diversity of customers could be the result of their affordable and palate-pleasing menu. Their food ranges from Belgian waffles to "cheesy" nachos, and none of their dishes go much over $10.

Their most requested menu items include the BLT and grilled Reuben, both which are made with smoked tempeh, said Feeny.